The Dodgers made it clear heading into the new season that they would take their time with Ohtani and build him up appropriately, because when it comes to a player like the two-way unicorn, they are ensuring his long-term health and long-term production, rather than a few great stints.

Shohei Ohtani’s return to the mound at Angel Stadium wasn’t just another start on the calendar — it was a collision of past and present, played out under the familiar orange glow of a Southern California summer night.